LIFE-SAVING TIPS FOR WHEN DROWNING OCCURS
Over the years, we’ve talked a great deal about the importance of water safety. This is a critical issue that should not be overlooked, especially during the summer months when Southern California residents are spending more time in pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
At Save A Little Life™ we like to emphasize both preventive measures and how to respond if a drowning occurs.
Let’s start with the facts:
- Infants are most likely to drown in a bathtub or container of water in the home
- From age 1-4 is where we see the most drownings and this is the leading cause of death in this group
- Children that can access a body of water will do so if left unattended
- Many of these drowning deaths occur with little, if any, noise or splashing
- Too often there are adults or older children nearby who do not recognize when a drowning is occurring
- The majority of pediatric drownings occur between the months of May through September
The following actions are imperative if someone is to survive a drowning event:
- Once the situation has been identified, the victim must be pulled out of the water immediately
- CPR should commence as quickly as possible
- IF ALONE with an infant or child, the first thing you must do is START CPR (for up to
2 minutes) before making a 9-1-1 call to paramedics. This gives the victim the best chance for survival - If a second person is present, have them call 9-1-1 and bring the phone back to where the victim is receiving CPR
- Prior to EMS arrival, continue CPR until the victim responds with obvious breathing or someone else takes over
